7 for S.F. supervisor

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, October 27, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO has no shortage of problems. City Hall is struggling to deal with budget shortfalls, homelessness and a flat economic climate. Against that backdrop, city voters will be choosing supervisors in seven of the 11 districts on Tuesday.

This election offers an opportunity to bring cohesion and balance to a board that has often warred with the mayor, the business community and just plain common sense. In making our recommendations, we looked for candidates with the seasoning, knowledge, judgment and civility to help the board focus on efforts to preserve and enhance the vitality and beauty of San Francisco.

District 1 (Richmond): Lillian Sing's record of public service includes stints as a San Francisco Community College Board member and Superior Court judge. She is a moderate with sound judgment -- two attributes often lacking with the current crop of supervisors. She would be a significant upgrade over incumbent Jake McGoldrick, an affable but unfocused politician who is prone to ideological tangents. Sing's experience gets her the nod over Matt Tuchow, an articulate attorney who has a bright future in city politics.

District 2 (Cow Hollow, Marina, Pacific Heights): Michela Alioto-Pier was appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to fill his seat -- and Alioto-Pier has proved to be as capable and pragmatic as promised.

District 3 (Chinatown, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, North Beach): Agree or disagree with him -- and we've done both at various times - - incumbent Aaron Peskin brings intellectual rigor and his trademark vigor to an array of issues at City Hall. He has been particularly bold in challenging the city's finances, such as at the airport.

District 5 (Haight Ashbury, Western Addition): The most wide-open contest in the city features 22 candidates vying to succeed Matt Gonzalez. Lisa Feldstein stands out in this field. Her experience as a planning commissioner and well-reasoned approach to a wide range of issues gives her the edge over Andrew Sullivan, the Muni reformer.

District 7 (Park Merced, West of Twin Peaks): Sean Elsbernd was recently appointed by Newsom to the seat formerly held by Tony Hall. Elsbernd has a good sense of the district and knows how to navigate his way around City Hall, giving him a slight edge over attorney Vernon Grigg -- though we were quite impressed by Grigg's engaging manner and sharp dissection of the issues.

District 9 (Mission District, Bernal Heights): Unlike some of his younger "progressive" colleagues, Tom Ammiano, a board member since 1994, counterbalances his ideology with a dose of practicality. Challenger Miguel Bustos has run a strong campaign on a back-to-basics platform emphasizing neighborhood concerns.

District 11 (Excelsior, Oceanview, Merced Heights, Ingleside, Visitacion Valley): This has been the nastiest campaign in the city, with ugly hit pieces flying all about. Incumbent Gerardo Sandoval has been trying to moderate his image -- particularly toward business -- since taking the chair of the Budget Committee, where he has worked with Newsom in attacking waste and inefficiency. Sandoval still has his rough edges, as illustrated by his approval of a harsh mailer against challenger Jose Medina, an ex-supervisor and former director of the California Department of Transportation. But, on balance of record so far and potential to mature as a politician, Sandoval is the choice in this district.